The newly formatted Club World Cup, kicking off on Saturday, features a lineup of some of the most renowned clubs and players in football… along with Auckland City.
With an astonishing prize pool of US$1 billion and an array of superstar athletes like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the New Zealand side stands out as a remarkable exception.
Auckland City operate as an amateur club, with players juggling their football commitments alongside university studies or full-time employment in fields such as teaching, real estate, and sales. They do not receive any salaries for their performances on the pitch.
Their inaugural match in the Club World Cup held in the United States will see them take on German champions Bayern Munich, featuring the prolific English striker Harry Kane.
They will then face off against two other legendary clubs, Benfica and Boca Juniors.
Auckland City forward Angus Kilkolly is eagerly anticipating the challenge.
“It’s probably our dream group,” he remarked during a phone interview with AFP while heading to training from his sales job.
“To be able to experience playing against these teams is a dream come true for us. Actually stepping onto the same pitch is a bit surreal.“
The 13-time winners of the Oceania Champions League have been a regular feature at the Club World Cup since its inception in 2006.
In 2014, the Navy Blues achieved a commendable third place out of seven contenders, narrowly defeated by Argentina’s San Lorenzo in extra time during the semi-finals.
This iteration of the tournament represents a significant shift, as FIFA has invested substantial resources, expanding it to a 32-team competition that includes giants like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, and Inter Milan.
Kilkolly describes Auckland City as “a family club where everyone is welcome, and you recognise familiar faces at every match.”
The club’s charming Kiwitea Street ground is located in a residential area of New Zealand’s largest city, typically drawing crowds ranging from 200 to 2,000, according to Kilkolly.
“We’ve got a lovely boutique club room, and everyone enjoys a drink after the game,” said the 29-year-old, who boasts a goal-scoring rate of one goal every two games across nearly 140 appearances for the club.
Auckland City currently sits in third place, four points adrift of leaders Birkenhead United AFC in the amateur 12-team Northern League.
Facing the highest level of opposition they have ever encountered, what would Kilkolly consider a successful outcome against Bayern and the other teams?
“If we can walk away saying, ‘we played our style and gave our best,’ that would be a positive mindset,” Kilkolly stated.
“If we leave feeling regrets about not having done everything possible, that would leave a bitter taste.“
He emphasised that the team will adhere to the club’s “DNA” of attractive, possession-based football and playing out from the back.
“We don’t concede many goals in New Zealand, so obviously, we aim to keep goal concessions as low as possible at the Club World Cup,” he explained.
A typical weekday for Kilkolly is jam-packed, and he has avoided taking a proper holiday for three or four years because football consumes all his leave days.
As a manager in sales for a power tools company, he starts work at 7:30 am, completes a full day’s work, trains three to four times a week, returns home by 9:00 pm, and repeats the cycle.
He doesn’t earn a wage for playing football.
In fact, amateur footballers in New Zealand are limited to a cap of NZD 150 (around US$90) a week to cover basic expenses like gym memberships.
The Auckland City team will be in the United States for nearly a month—luckily, Kilkolly’s boss is supportive and appreciates football.
“It’s a challenge; it’s four weeks of leave, but I don’t have four weeks of annual leave, so I’m taking unpaid leave for this trip,” Kilkolly shared.
“But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Competing at the World Cup allows us to experience what it’s like to play on a global stage, even if we aren’t professionals.“
As a forward, Kilkolly has his eyes set on Kane’s number nine jersey following their game at the 26,000-capacity TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.
“I reckon he earns more in a week than I do in a year at my job,” he chuckled.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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